Steelers complete festive double over Panthers

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Daniel Ciampini scored a hat trick as Sheffield Steelers hit five past rivals Nottingham to complete a festive double over the Panthers, and keep the Steelers hot on the heels of league leaders Guildford Flames.

The 6,640-strong crowd at the Motorpoint Arena had to wait, as they had done in Sheffield the night before, over half an hour for the game's first goal. The Panthers thought they'd got it at 32:26 but the goal was waived off for goaltender interference - on a rush up the other end after an excellent stop by Alex Dubeau diving back into his crease. Panthers Head Coach Corey Neilson disagreed and used his Coach's Challenge, but with the decision upheld his side then were forced onto a penalty kill that produced the game's opener: Martin Látal scored in close after Sebastian Piché kept the puck alive and fed the Czech forward after a number of saves from Dubeau. A minute later, Daniel Ciampini got his first of the night to give the Steelers a two-goal lead.

Látal's second of the night made it 3-0 6:30 into period three, but Brett Welychka fired past Matt Greenfield off a blocked shot to get the hostso n the board at 49:16. Ciampini reestablished the visitors' three-goal advantage at 50:05 when Dubeau came out to play the puck and handed it straight to the Steelers' forward, before completing his hat trick 1:45 later on a breakaway.